A phone can still be used without a protective cover. You can still make calls, watch reels, search for stuff, even download things. Some phones are even water resistant straight from the manufacturer, not waterproof but resistant. It works just fine. Some people even say that the phone looks better because you show the true design of the phone, with its sleek lines and colors.
But if that phone falls on the ground it could break. A fall can damage its ability to download stuff. It can scuff corners and crack screens which prevents us from seeing clearly what’s being projected on the screen. You can even hurt yourself by swiping a cracked screen. A drop to the floor could damage it to the point that the phone stops working properly, and with time, it stops functioning altogether. Without that cover, the phone received dings, cracks, and wounds that it would not have received if it had been covered and protected.
We are the same way. We can function without the cover, without the refuge of the Holy Spirit. And if we refuse to hide, take cover, or take refuge, we will receive dings and cracks in our lives that would not have happened if we dared to hide in His refuge – dared to hide in his cover. That’s why some of us, even myself, have found ourselves walking around with cracked screens, dings, and damages. We have found ourselves not receiving the complete download, not functioning properly because we refused to get in his cover; we refused to be in his refuge; we decided to walk out of it. That is why we are cracked. We are hurt and we can’t function fully in the purpose that God has for our lives because we decided not to be in the refuge, in the covering, and in the shelter that God has for our lives.
We have to learn how to take refuge in Him. Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus knows that all who follow Him will suffer, but at the same time He encourages people to “take heart” because he has already “overcome the world.”
This verse offers comfort and assurance that true peace is found in a relationship with Jesus, not in the absence of trouble. It should also work as a reminder to prepare us for the reality of trials and help us to rely on God’s strength. It’s one thing to go through trials without His cover versus going through trials under HIS cover. In HIS refuge there is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
But be careful. What if I tried to put your phone cover on my phone? What do you think will happen? From far away it can and will look like it may fit. I mean it’s for a phone right? From far away it seems like it works, but when you look up close, either it won’t fit and areas of the phone are exposed or the other cover is just too big and there are gaps that need to be filled. If that phone drops, it will still suffer significant damage because that cover was not made for my phone and my phone was not made for that cover.
Sometimes we look for covers, we look for relationships, people, or substances that might look like they will cover us. In reality they don’t. We look for things to give us the covering or refuge that we need and they fall short because they were not made for us. We need to start taking off these false covers that were not made for us and start coming under the right cover.
Psalm 91:1 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” I assure you that the only secure and safe cover is in the shadow of the Almighty. We can trust in God as our protector and defender. The words “shelter” and “shadow” are used to describe the protection, covering, and refuge that God provides. This verse also describes the benefits of spending time in the Secret Place, which means to engage in fellowship with God. Let me repeat this: the safest place you can hide is in His shadow, in His shelter, in GOD.
Here is one practical application: Let us ALL come back to HIM.
Lamentations 3:40 “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.”
This encourages me to take responsibility for my actions and reflect on them and myself. How have I used other covers in my life knowing that HE is the only One made for me?
As we know, in His presence we find how good He is and He shows us how much we need Him. In His presence, in HIS shelter, things will be exposed to us, but the HOLY SPIRIT will show us and help us through so we can be like HIM.
I dare you to HIDE. It’s time we use the right cover.